2023 Free Agents

[moonslav59]

I said last offseason that Duran wasn’t in their plans, and he wasn’t, and only got a chance to play, because they were desperate!

 

They played him in May and early June.

 

After Kike got hurt, he was "in the plans" as the back-up to Kike. Nobody ever heard of Refsnyder at that time.

 

Like it or not, Duran was our 5th OF'er behind Cordero.

 

Arroyo in the OF was an after thought. and a bad one at that.

 

My guess is, most teams expect their 5th OF'er to play during any given season, so yes, he was "in the plans."

 

It was one of your biggest beefs against Bloom was his lack of acquiring OF and 1B depth. Like it or not, Duran was "in the plans."

 

Like you, I hope he is not in the plans, this year, but we no longer have JBJ, Pham or Cordero. Our OF depth, assuming Kike plays SS or 2B is:

 

Yoshida LF

Dugo RF (Better in LF)

Duvall CF (better in LF)

Refsnyder LF/RF (better in LF)

Duran LF.CF/RF (better in LF)

 

It's not Arroyo. On opening day, it's not Rafaela.

 

I'm hoping we add a middle IF'er or two, so Kike moves back to OF (or we add another CF'er) and Duran is knocked down the charts, but until that happens, it's fair to mention his name.

[Old Red]

They played him in May and early June.

 

After Kike got hurt, he was "in the plans" as the back-up to Kike. Nobody ever heard of Refsnyder at that time.

 

Like it or not, Duran was our 5th OF'er behind Cordero.

 

Arroyo in the OF was an after thought. and a bad one at that.

 

My guess is, most teams expect their 5th OF'er to play during any given season, so yes, he was "in the plans."

 

It was one of your biggest beefs against Bloom was his lack of acquiring OF and 1B depth. Like it or not, Duran was "in the plans."

 

Like you, I hope he is not in the plans, this year, but we no longer have JBJ, Pham or Cordero. Our OF depth, assuming Kike plays SS or 2B is:

 

Yoshida LF

Dugo RF (Better in LF)

Duvall CF (better in LF)

Refsnyder LF/RF (better in LF)

Duran LF.CF/RF (better in LF)

 

It's not Arroyo. On opening day, it's not Rafaela.

 

I'm hoping we add a middle IF'er or two, so Kike moves back to OF (or we add another CF'er) and Duran is knocked down the charts, but until that happens, it's fair to mention his name.

When I said last year, and this year that Duran was not in the Red Sox plans I meant as a starter, and any kind of platoon, so yes I should have been more specific.

[moonslav59]

When I said last year, and this year that Duran was not in the Red Sox plans I meant as a starter, and any kind of platoon, so yes I should have been more specific.

 

Shocking to me is how he ended up 4th in OF innings, last year and with 50% more innings than Refsnyder, who hit .881.

[Bellhorn04]

Shocking to me is how he ended up 4th in OF innings, last year and with 50% more innings than Refsnyder, who hit .881.

 

You don't think it make some sense to give Duran a shot last year?

[Old Red]

You don't think it make some sense to give Duran a shot last year?

 

I think it made sense at the time, because Bloom was in no hurry to go out, and get someone, but the more he played the more he was exposed especially in the OF.

[moonslav59]

You don't think it make some sense to give Duran a shot last year?

 

Not at all. I expected him to get a shot, and before Refsnyder, for sure.

 

I'm a bit shocked he ended up 4th in OF innings because of how badly as he played on D and O.

 

Cordero was actually flirting with .700 somewhat late in the year, but he was needed at 1B for a while.

 

Refsnyder should have played more as the season progressed, and that's not a hindsight position, either.

 

By the time JBJ was gone and Pham was in the mix, it didn't matter, anyway.

 

Once we were out of it, I'd actually have preferred we play Duran over players we knew were not part of our longer term plans. Find out, once and for all, or at least as much as possible, if he has any redeeming qualities.

[Old Red]

Not at all. I expected him to get a shot, and before Refsnyder, for sure.

 

I'm a bit shocked he ended up 4th in OF innings because of how badly as he played on D and O.

 

Cordero was actually flirting with .700 somewhat late in the year, but he was needed at 1B for a while.

 

Refsnyder should have played more as the season progressed, and that's not a hindsight position, either.

 

By the time JBJ was gone and Pham was in the mix, it didn't matter, anyway.

 

Once we were out of it, I'd actually have preferred we play Duran over players we knew were not part of our longer term plans. Find out, once and for all, or at least as much as possible, if he has any redeeming qualities.

 

Shocked? Bloom must of admired Duran from his perch high above the friendly confines, and enjoyed the circus like atmosphere. I couldn’t possibly think of any other reason. Or could I?

[notin]

I think it made sense at the time, because Bloom was in no hurry to go out, and get someone, but the more he played the more he was exposed especially in the OF.

 

Making trades before July is difficult, mostly because very few if any teams are selling…

[moonslav59]

Shocked? Bloom must of admired Duran from his perch high above the friendly confines, and enjoyed the circus like atmosphere. I couldn’t possibly think of any other reason. Or could I?

 

I'm kinda glad Cora and Bloom, perched above the mighty confines, did not give up on Dalbec in 2021, after an equally long sucky stretch as Duran had, if not longer.

 

I remember people bitching about keeping Kike at leadoff. I know it couldn't possibly have been you, but Kike went on to have a .372 OBP over the last 80 games of 2021 and then had a non-heroic playoffs to boot.

 

Sometimes you hit- sometimes you miss.

 

I'm pretty sure most GMs would not totally give up on Duran after 2022, let alone after just 112 PAs in 2021.

 

Again, I've never been high on Duran, like many here were, but he hit well in AAA- average, OBP and power. He had speed. His D was always the biggest concern, and they gave him 2 chances. My guess is, if he hits well in 2023, he'll get an other chance on some team.

 

 

 

[moonslav59]

Making trades before July is difficult, mostly because very few if any teams are selling…

 

You said that over a thousand times...

 

(I thought that automatically makes it true.)

[a700hitter]

Available FA's that could backup at CF/RF:

Pillar

Herrera

Jankowski (MiLB deal)

JBJ

Davis (MiLB)

Pillar has been taken off the board.

[moonslav59]

Pillar has been taken off the board.

 

That's a good thing.

[notin]

Pillar has been taken off the board.

 

The Sox signed Greg Allen a couple days ago as the backup CF/RF candidate…

[Jasonbay44]

Ramiel Tapia just posted on instagram he signed with the Red Sox... Yay I guess.

 

Also, worth noting: Tapia is the guy who hit the pop up in center that Duran couldn't find and allowed and inside the park homer.. Now Tapia is essentially ensuring Duran wont make teams opening day roster.

[Old Red]

Ramiel Tapia just posted on instagram he signed with the Red Sox... Yay I guess.

 

Also, worth noting: Tapia is the guy who hit the pop up in center that Duran couldn't find and allowed and inside the park homer.. Now Tapia is essentially ensuring Duran wont make teams opening day roster.

 

Another LHH OF. I guess all, but assures Kiki to the IF, or Dugy gets traded.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Another LHH OF. I guess all, but assures Kiki to the IF, or Dugy gets traded.

 

Something may be brewing; MLB Trade Rumors report there is significant interest in Houck -- even coming off surgery.

 

What can the Red Sox get for a trade package of two controllable assets, Verdugo and Houck? Someone actually under 30 who can plug into the starting rotation or middle infield for more than one year?

[notin]

Ramiel Tapia just posted on instagram he signed with the Red Sox... Yay I guess.

 

Also, worth noting: Tapia is the guy who hit the pop up in center that Duran couldn't find and allowed and inside the park homer.. Now Tapia is essentially ensuring Duran wont make teams opening day roster.

 

 

https://www.si.com/mlb/red-sox/news/red-sox-poach-sign-outfielder-away-from-division-rival-to-bolster-depth-scott7

 

 

Not really much of a defensive leap over Duran. And no word if it’s a minor or major league deal…

[notin]

Another LHH OF. I guess all, but assures Kiki to the IF, or Dugy gets traded.

 

Kike to the infield appeared to already be a done deal. I would not go apartment hunting if I was Verdugo just yet; I haven’t heard whether or not this is a minor league deal. And even if it is a major league contract, Tapia isn’t much of a replacement for Verdugo…

[Bellhorn04]

Elvis please. And no Elvis impersonators.

[notin]

Elvis please. And no Elvis impersonators.

 

I don’t think Elvis is on Bloom’s radar.

 

Most of Bloom’s acquisitions or targets - McGuire, Stallings, Story, Duvall, Rojas, etc. - excel at Defensive Runs Scored. Andrus is dead last in that category among qualified shortstops over the last 3 years.

 

More Bloom-esque targets per my theory include IKF, Mateo, Ha-Seoung Kim, DeJong or (if healthy) Adalberto Mondesi. Assuming he is still targeting shortstops…

Edited January 19, 2023 by notin

[Bellhorn04]

I don’t think Elvis is on Bloom’s radar.

 

Most of Bloom’s acquisitions or targets - McGuire, Stallings, Story, Duvall, Rojas, etc. - excel at Defensive Runs Scored. Andrus is dead last in that category among qualified shortstops over the last 3 years.

 

But DRS is only one component of UZR.

 

It's no wonder old schoolers share their head at defensive metrics.

[notin]

But DRS is only one component of UZR.

 

It's no wonder old schoolers share their head at defensive metrics.

 

I can’t say whether or not it’s his only method of evaluating defense -or even if he uses it directly. All I can say for certain is that most of his targets excel at it…

[Bellhorn04]

I can’t say whether or not it’s his only method of evaluating defense -or even if he uses it directly. All I can say for certain is that most of his targets excel at it…

 

Probably a perspicacious observation...

[mvp 78]

The Sox signed Greg Allen a couple days ago as the backup CF/RF candidate…

 

On an MiLB deal. Sox could still try to find an MLB guy.

[mvp 78]

Ramiel Tapia just posted on instagram he signed with the Red Sox... Yay I guess.

 

Also, worth noting: Tapia is the guy who hit the pop up in center that Duran couldn't find and allowed and inside the park homer.. Now Tapia is essentially ensuring Duran wont make teams opening day roster.

 

He's also mainly a LFer and I don't think very good at CF or RF. Probably an MiLB deal.

[moonslav59]

Most of Bloom’s acquisitions or targets - McGuire, Stallings, Story, Duvall, Rojas, etc. - excel at Defensive Runs Scored.

 

I don't think Yoshida fits that profile. I'm not sure Duvall in CF does, either, but he should be okay on D, there.

 

Moving Dugo to RF due to the acquisition of Yoshida does not help our DRS in RF.

[mvp 78]

I don't think Yoshida fits that profile. I'm not sure Duvall in CF does, either, but he should be okay on D, there.

 

Moving Dugo to RF due to the acquisition of Yoshida does not help our DRS in RF.

 

Duvall is +4 in 600 innings.

[mvp 78]

He's also mainly a LFer and I don't think very good at CF or RF. Probably an MiLB deal.

 

@PeteAbe

#RedSox filling in AAA gaps with a minor league deal for OF Raimel Tapia and his career 83 OPS+.

[moonslav59]

Duvall is +4 in 600 innings.

 

Yes, I know, but he's 34, now. Like I said, he should be okay.

 

He was 0 DRS in 2022 in CF with a -1.4 UZR/150.

 

He's better than anyone else on CF D on the team not named Kike.

 

I'm more worried about LF, RF, OF depth and 2B.

[notin]

@PeteAbe

#RedSox filling in AAA gaps with a minor league deal for OF Raimel Tapia and his career 83 OPS+.

 

So… DFA Duran now?

 

They have their speedy CF who doesn’t need a 40 man roster spot…